Foreign-Born Workers in the U.S.: What the 2025 BLS Data Shows
In May 2026, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) published its annual report on the labor force characteristics of foreign-born people in the United States.
BLS reported that the foreign born accounted for 19.1% of the U.S. civilian labor force in 2025. The unemployment rate for the foreign born was 4.2%, compared with 4.3% for the native born.
Here are some of the key findings in plain English.
Who does BLS count as foreign born?
BLS defines the foreign born as people who reside in the United States but were not U.S. citizens at birth.
Specifically, BLS says they were born outside the United States or one of its outlying areas, such as Puerto Rico or Guam, and neither parent was a U.S. citizen.
BLS says the foreign-born population includes:
Legally admitted immigrants
Refugees
Temporary residents, such as students and temporary workers
Undocumented immigrants
The Current Population Survey does not separately identify people in these categories.
How large was the foreign-born labor force?
In 2025, the foreign born accounted for 19.1% of the U.S. civilian labor force.
The labor force participation rate was:
66.3% for the foreign born
61.6% for the native born
BLS also reported different participation rates by sex. Among the foreign born:
76.9% of men participated in the labor force
56.2% of women participated in the labor force
What was the unemployment rate?
The unemployment rate for the foreign born was 4.2% in 2025, unchanged from the previous year.
For the native born, the unemployment rate was 4.3%, up from 4.0% in 2024.
Which occupations employed foreign-born workers?
BLS reported differences in the occupational distribution of foreign-born and native-born workers.
Foreign-born workers were more likely than native-born workers to be employed in:
Service occupations — 21.2% vs. 15.6%
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations — 13.3% vs. 7.9%
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations — 15.1% vs. 11.4%
Foreign-born workers were less likely than native-born workers to be employed in:
Management, professional, and related occupations — 36.8% vs. 45.2%
Sales and office occupations — 13.6% vs. 19.9%
What did BLS report about earnings?
In 2025, median usual weekly earnings for foreign-born full-time wage and salary workers were $1,059.
For native-born full-time wage and salary workers, median usual weekly earnings were $1,236.
BLS notes that differences in earnings reflect a variety of factors, including differences in:
Educational attainment
Occupation
Industry
Geographic region
An important note about the 2025 data
The October 2025 Current Population Survey was not collected because of the federal government shutdown.
As a result, BLS calculated its 2025 annual household survey estimates using 11-month averages that exclude October.
BLS cautions that the 2025 annual estimates are therefore not strictly comparable with annual averages for other years.
What does the data show?
The BLS report provides a national picture of the foreign born in the U.S. labor force in 2025.
Among the findings:
The foreign born represented 19.1% of the civilian labor force
Their labor force participation rate was 66.3%
Their unemployment rate was 4.2%
Occupational distribution differed between foreign-born and native-born workers
Median usual weekly earnings for foreign-born full-time wage and salary workers were $1,059
These figures describe labor-force characteristics reported by BLS.
An important note about the 2025 data
The October 2025 Current Population Survey was not collected because of the federal government shutdown.
As a result, BLS calculated the 2025 annual estimates using 11-month averages that exclude October.
BLS specifically cautions that the 2025 annual estimates are therefore not strictly comparable with annual averages for other years.
From Workforce Data to Employment Opportunity
BLS reports national data on the labor force participation, employment, occupations, and earnings of the foreign born in the United States.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does “foreign born” mean in BLS data?
BLS defines the foreign born as people residing in the United States who were not U.S. citizens at birth.
What percentage of the U.S. labor force was foreign born in 2025?
BLS reported that the foreign born accounted for 19.1% of the civilian labor force.
What was the unemployment rate for the foreign born?
The unemployment rate for the foreign born was 4.2% in 2025.
Are the 2025 figures directly comparable with earlier years?
Not strictly.
BLS says the annual estimates exclude October 2025 because the Current Population Survey was not collected during the federal government shutdown.
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Sources & References
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026, May 19). Foreign-born workers: Labor force characteristics — 2025. U.S. Department of Labor. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/forbrn_05192026.htm
